Islamabad: Sympathy for al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden and the Taliban has dropped sharply in Pakistan amid a wave of deadly violence, according to the results of a recent opinion poll.

The survey also identified the party of assassinated opposition leader Benazir Bhutto as the country's most popular ahead of Feb 18 elections, and said most Pakistanis want President Pervez Musharraf to quit.

The poll, conducted last month for the US-based Terror Free Tomorrow organizaion, suggests Pakistanis are looking to peaceful opposition groups after months of political turmoil and wave of suicide attacks.

In the latest bloodshed, a bomber blew himself up at an opposition rally in the northwestern town of Charsadda yesterday, killing 27 people and injuring 50.

According to the poll results only 24 per cent of Pakistanis approved of in Laden when the survey was conducted last month, compared with 46 per cent during a similar survey in August. Backing for al-Qaida, whose senior leaders are believed to be hiding among the Pakistan-Afghan border, fell to 18 per cent from 33 per cent.

Support for the Taliban, whose Pakistani offshoots have seized control of much of the lawless border area and have been engaged in a growing war against security forces, dropped by half to 19 per cent from 38 per cent, the results said.

Also, in a sharp rebuke to Musharraf who seized power in a 1999 coup and whose standing has slumped since he tried to fire Pakistan's chief justice last March -- 70 per cent of voters think he should quit immediately.
Source : PTI